Fissure: Casting Chaos
by Scarpool
Summary: "I am your past. Present. And Future." Something about the way the villain's freckles peeked out of his mask made Izuku's spine crawl. "You aspire to be the hero who always smiles, bringing hope to others. The next All Might." Izuku's heart stopped. He stared, consumed in those deep green eyes. "But know when our name is heard, the only one smiling is you. Deku."
1. Chapter 1

**Hello BNHA Fandom! I'm Actium Scarpool, please call me Scar. This is my first story on an anime- I'm Super excited! I like to learn from my mistakes, so Please be the harshest you can to me in reviews. **

**Be warned I am a sporadic writer- so don't expect an update soon...but also don't not expect it. :P**

**I'd like to give a great big shoutout to my beta-reader for this chapter: HinataG ! You can find her on Wattpad :)**

**Enjoy the First Chapter of Book One of Fissure: Casting Chaos!**

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"Come on, mister." Izuku spread his hands in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner. "Hand over the transaction, please."

"L-leave me alone! I'm not a hero or a villain. I don't even have a good quirk!"

Izuku kept advancing.

"That doesn't bother me. All quirks are amazing. You shouldn't be so quick to reject yours."

Izuku sighed as the scraggly man scrambled further into the alley. Did this guy know that it was a dead-end? Perhaps he did and was waiting for the right time to attack.

"No, no, no. You don't get it. I couldn't do anything. I had nothing! I thought if I hung out with strong guys, I could become strong, too."

"Thinking like that will never get you anywhere, mister. Everyone grows at a different pace, but if you use others' growth as a shadow, you will only have an illusion. Test yourself separately to see where you stand. That way, you'll see what strengths and weaknesses you have. Then you develop from there."

"How can you say that? You want me to be weak? I can't be like that! Not forever!"

"I'm not here to fight you," Izuku tried again. "Just give me the booster."

"I'm telling you to leave me alone!" He repeated. "Get away from me!"

Honestly, Izuku did not want to kill him. He never did. But at some point, Izuku gave up on wasting his assurances to those not willing to listen.

"Why is it always me? No matter what I do, everyone is always out for me. Am I that weak?" Izuku listened with half an ear. A good chop would knock him out.

The man rummaged through his pocket. "No more!"

A flash of silver caught his eye. "With this, I can be stronger!"

Shoot! A syringe! Izuku immediately bolted, charging forward, trying to activate his quirk. But he was too slow. The veins on the man's pale neck bulged and blackened, and the desperate look in his eyes turned psychotic.

Power crackled, and Izuku launched up a building wall. Thin long blades sliced through every space in the alley below. Izuku landed softly on the edge of a roof. The man cackled. The blades disappeared back into his body.

There it is. The quirk booster at work. It was troublesome that the drug was effective immediately. Otherwise, Izuku could have been done by now.

The druggie lifted his eyes. "You know, you were supposed to give rise to those of us who live in these shadows. Why do you continue to police us like you do those overgrown heroes? You want us gone, too? Like you did with the spirit of the heroes." He giggled. "Man, I'm on such a high!"

"Jeez, you can say the same for your voice. Did you breathe a bag of helium or something?"

Izuku jumped at the sudden presence next to him. "Himiko! What are you doing here!?"

"Aw. Are you not glad to see me?"

Izuku shook his head. "That's not what I was saying at all."

The blonde girl beamed, her canines winking with the moonlight wickedly. She twirled, and her short skirt flapped in its wake, rising higher…

Izuku quickly looked away and stood.

"I'm so glad I caught up with you! You should let someone know where you're going." Himiko pouted. "Is this what you do all those times you've disappeared? So mean, Deku, keeping these toys all to yourself. Weren't you ever taught to share?"

Izuku scratched the back of his head. "Ah, I'm sorry! I'm actually here for research. Please, forgive me. But should you really be saying that? You aren't one to share. In fact, you do the opposite."

Izuku clamped his mouth shut. Even with training, his mouth still got the better of him.

Himiko gave a scandalized gasp. "Well, that's different! You're a boy, so you don't understand, but us ladies have our reasons."

"What? What does that mean?"

"You talk as if I'm not here! Stop ignoring me! I'm as strong as anyone else now! No- I'm stronger!" A couple blades struck the wall, coming up short.

Huh.

Himiko blinked. "Oh, that's right. He's still here."

They both peered down.

"That's a lot of pointy things," Himiko said like she was casually commenting on her lunch. "How are we dealing with him?"

"He is on a stimulant," Izuku said. "So, he, and therefore his quirk, is more sensitive than ever. I would say to wait for it to wear off, but he's already heading for the exit. We'll need to be quick. He is obviously untrained and disoriented, so if distracted by something in front of him, he would be less likely to keep his back protected from danger. Attacks from a longer range would be safer. Especially since he's so erratic. Trying to sneak away but still grabbing our attention like that. I'm pretty sure that's not him and more of the drug, but the uncertainty-"

"Stop with your mumbling, or he'll get away! Come on, Deku. I'll take his front." Himiko leaned over the edge and spread her arms. She kicked a foot out for a 180 turn. "Let's go."

"Wait, Himiko!"

She placed her weight on her heels and dropped like a stone.

Izuku forced back a gasp. He hated it when she did that. "Can we at least discuss it a little more?"

He watched her flutter to a soft landing before slinking back to hide from view.

"Hey, cutie! Actually, that's a bit of a stretch, but the feeling is still there! Don't worry about my bestie, he left so I can have you all to myself!"

A snap of a pocket knife echoed through the alley, followed by a girly giggle. "Won't you play with me?" Izuku rolled his eyes. Himiko was having way too much fun.

"Pl-Play?"

Izuku crept around the rooftops.

"Why do you keep looking up there? Do you want him back? Am I not good enough? Hmm, are you one of those guys that like it when I hold two blades at once? How naughty, saying that in this dark, dirty place. How could you to a girl like me?"

Izuku hopped down, rolling soundlessly closer.

Himiko did not move her eyes away from the clueless man in front of her. But Izuku saw the way her pupils dilated.

"But don't worry. I'll have that soon enough."

The man's blades sunk further into his body. "What are you saying?"

"Man, just the thought gets me super excited! You should totally be pumped, too. Do you know why? Guess! Guess! Guess! Too slow!"

Her voice lowered as if to tell a secret.

"I wanna taste you, and, if you're a good boy, perhaps I'll drain you instead."

The last inches of the quirk slid away. "You'll what?"

"There you go! Just relax and enjoy it. Because," She broke her words with kisses to the blade. "It's. All. For. You." She finished with a slow lick of the steel.

The man warbled a whimper. It made Izuku's jaw tense into a clench. The man was distracted, and technically that was all he needed.

Izuku took his chance and launched upwards, readying to land a devastating blow with the rippling power of an overcharged kick. At the same time, Himiko's blade whirled forward, heading for the junkie's face. It happened almost too fast. The man shrieked and turned into a ball of spikes. Izuku spun mid-air. A belt pocket snagged on a tip of a blade, and Izuku gasped when he sliced his cheek because of the distraction. He seriously needed to fix that.

Izuku sprung into a back handspring the moment he landed, sliding over to Himiko.

"Hey!" Himiko whined at the man. "What's the deal? That was a good friend of mine!"

"I'm okay, Himiko. It's just a small scratch."

"What?" Himiko frowned and looked him over.

"Oh!" She snapped her fingers, a light bulb ringing off. "Don't be such a drama queen. You're totally fine. We've got real issues here. He _destroyed_ my precious!"

Her precious?

Oh…

"But aren't all your knives the same?"

Himiko moaned. "You don't know what I suffer!" She snapped another knife open. "I'll slice him open!"

"Don't aim for his eyes," Izuku warned. "If he's blinded, he'll panic and go into full defensive mode."

"How do we get a hit in, then?"

Izuku smiled. "I think my original plan is still the best way to go, but this time we'll reverse roles."

"Reversing roles, hmmm?" Himiko laughed. "I love when you make evil plans for me!" Izuku soon chuckled along. How could he not, when her eyes gleamed like that?

The man trembled. His pupils were blown wide, and his rasping was loud and heavy. "Just-just," he sobbed, "Get away from me!"

A wall of blades sprang out. The metals screamed as they were smushed together.

So many blades. He had to be devoting every single one he could muster for this attack. All aiming straight for them. That meant his back was defenseless!

He glanced at Himiko and saw her do the same. They waited until the last possible moment.

Himiko dodged, twirling up and over Izuku's head. Izuku, instead, stood his ground. He blasted his quirk shooter style. As he did, Izuku caught the ecstasy shining on Himiko's face. She lived for this. The adrenaline rush, the fight, the challenge. A smile stretched Izuku's cheeks. Their opponent choked. They really did make the perfect team.

Izuku's attack shattered the knives, and a cloud of dust rose out of every crevice of the backstreet. Full Cowling split the air. Shouting in glee, Himiko took flight. She rode the shockwave like a bird of prey.

The cretin had no chance. Himiko only allowed him to let loose a shriek before her knives cut him to simmering silence.

Izuku stretched his leg before making his way over. He scanned the body. Himiko definitely made her mark.

"Ah, that didn't last as long as I hoped," Himiko said. "It was fun for the little while, I guess. You didn't look too into it. Probably because you hung to the back. You should have totally used your knives. You are so hot when you do, Deku!" Himiko's eyes sparkled, and a blush dusted her cheeks. Heat bloomed on Izuku's face.

"I-I didn't think it was a good move to make. He had a long-range quirk, and he so was doped up on the drug that his attacks were super dangerous, Himiko. You could have gotten hurt! Not that I think you couldn't handle it- you absolutely did- but I think-"

"If you don't breathe, you might die, Deku," Himiko said. "That would be a waste. Your death should at least have you spewing blood." She swiveled her knife and brought it to her wrist. "I'll gladly add mine to yours! That would be so awesome!"

"You shouldn't say things like that, Himiko!"

"No fun. What'd you get from the guy, anyway?"

"What? You don't know?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have asked, silly."

"R-right! I'm sorry!"

"You're so cute when you're flustered, Deku." Himiko slapped her hands to her cheeks. "It gets me the same way!"

Izuku fidgeted, suddenly finding his shoes interesting. How did she get off on this? It's so embarrassing! Izuku busied himself with answering the question.

"As you probably figured out, this drug is made to enhance quirks."

"Like how the loser used it become all spiky!" Himiko raked her hands in the air like they were claws.

"D-don't be so mean, Himiko! The drug doesn't just affect the user's quirk. It specifically targets the quirk gene, forcing a change at the molecular level!" Izuku let out a nervous chuckle and scratched his jaw. "Well, it is a bit of pure speculation. I'd have to analyze it first."

Himiko hummed. "He did it by injecting it straight into his bloodstream. I wonder if I would become all spiky if I drank his blood with the drug." She mimed sticking a syringe in her arm. Her eyes twinkled. "Hey, Deku, do you think it would be even stronger if I shoved it up my-"

"Hi-Himiko!"

Izuku cleared his throat. "The drug is new," he forced out. "So new, it doesn't have a common name, yet. I've heard some refer it to things like Rush, Boost, Rev, but none of them ever stick. There's nothing like it on any international chats, either. Every mention is local. That means it was introduced locally. There's a huge chance the maker is here, as well. And with big connections. This thing has spread like wildfire. Although they're not as top tier as us, they aren't nobodies either. Those tats are recognizable, at least. So, this is a group with a big outreach network in the underground world who can mass-produce and create a market for something like this."

Izuku vaguely registered Himiko leaving him to his muttering.

"Sucky, sucky, sucky. Chu!~"

There were, of course, high profile underground groups other than the League. Shigaraki, overly arrogant and ambitious as always, was set on taking the Shie Hassaikai, the yakuza run by Kai Chisaki. But a quirk enhancing drug would go against the vision Chisaki wanted. It couldn't be them.

"Aw, boo. I can't get all spiky…"

"Hey, who the hell are you?" A familiar click broke Izuku out of his thoughts. Two men stood at the entrance, transfixed on Himiko as she stood over the body she was testing. One aimed a handgun. Himiko raised a hand to wave, but it set the gunman off. He hastily fired a shot. Himiko made to sidestep, but her new body made her stumble and-

"Himiko!" Izuku powered his legs up and rocketed off the wall, catching her body before she hit the ground.

His hands hit sludge, and he watched as Himiko returned to her normal form. She frowned up at Izuku. "Deku…" She cupped his face.

"Are you alright?" Izuku said. She was, he knew. The shot had gone in her arm, but it wasn't anything they haven't dealt with before. Himiko liked to indulge in her dramatic side.

She observed her hands. "I'm back to being me," she said.

…Why did she sound so surprised?

"Deku," she gasped, "I-I can't use my quirk!"

Izuku glanced towards their assailants. Neither of them seemed to have an emitter type quirk. It was more likely that the bullet was laced with something. It was extremely fast in acting.

Like the quirk booster.

Hmm. A quirk enhancer and a quirk suppressor.

Interesting.

"Where did this guy come from?"

"Oi, oi! That's Deku from the League of Villains. Let's get the hell out of here, man!"

"No way. If we get him, we'll be rolling in it."

Izuku heard another click from the gun.

"I shoot him, then he has no quirk. Useless. Well, not to us, heh."

Jade eyes narrowed. Useless, huh? That's what it all boils down to. How big or flashy your quirk is. You don't have any at all? That's how much you're worth. Not by what you do, but by what you physically have.

"You think I can't beat you without my quirk?" Izuku asked.

"Yup, yup. You definitely can," The blonde said, his hands up. He slowly backed away, but a long, red tail blocked him off.

"You ain't going nowhere," his tailed friend said.

"Dude, this guy killed-"

"I don't give a flying spit who he's killed!" He snarled. "Everyone thinks he's the hero of villains, and yet he treats us like the gum on his shoe! With no quirk, he'll get to know how it feels." He sneered at Izuku. "He'll be nothing but some quirkless trash."

Izuku raised a hand to his belt. Did this guy know that his tail curled upwards when he was about to shoot? His stance wasn't so bad. Horrendously open, though. He wouldn't do well in a situation where he was surrounded.

The man bared his teeth in a smile. "Say, 'Bye, bye.'"

A second shot rang out, and a bloody scream followed.

Izuku and the gunmen were both on their knees. The blonde stared at his friend.

"Shirisaki!"

"You assume too much, mister." Izuku stood and brushed himself off. He glanced off to the side, where the bullet had scuffed the wall. "Pretty arrogant of you to assume I needed my quirk at all."

The man cursed, clutching his impaled hand to his chest. At least he could still walk out of here. The black shirt easily disguised the blood it had soaked up.

The man moved to stand, grabbing the handle of the blade. His tail shook. "You little piece of-"

"I don't recommend doing that," Izuku said. "Pulling it out isn't a good idea. You should go to the hospital. Or, if not, be prepared for a ton of blood loss."

Izuku heaved a sigh. "You should leave."

The tail froze.

"You'd let me go?"

"As long as you answer this. Where'd you get the bullets?"

"A dealer in Esuha City."

Esuha City? The Shie Hassaikai have a significant influence there, and quirk erasing fits with them perfectly. If it was coupled with the other one…

"And the quirk booster?"

Red eyes trailed to the body lying behind Izuku.

Izuku nodded. There were a whole bunch of possible plans that the yakuza had drawn for introducing both in the market.

"Leave the gun," Izuku said. It would be helpful to compare the components of both drugs. He looked at the bloody hand. "Don't deal with that alone."

The blonde helped his companion up.

"I'll see what I can-"

A blur of silver streaked its way across the alley and burrowed itself into the man's neck.

"You would let them get away, Deku?" Himiko skipped to his side and smiled. "And after what they did to me. You're so deliciously cruel." She leaned onto her toes, shoving her face into his.

So close! Her lips were the same pink as the blush her cheeks held. She pushed an arm back. Woah, that really exposed a view to her- Izuku tensed and immediately ducked low. A knife zipped past where his neck used to be. Himiko giggled as she let the knife go, where it dug into a retreating blonde head.

Izuku stared as the body slumped to the ground.

He should have expected that.

He looked around the alley. He came to get something from one man and ended with three dead bodies.

Honestly, he should have expected that, too. At this point, it shouldn't be such a surprise.

Himiko hummed a tune. It was relaxingly upbeat and familiar. Izuku made sure to be extra wary of Himiko's stance. "Grab the bullets, Deku. You are going to go all cute and nerdy over it. And then," Her knife gleamed. "You'll tell me if I'm ever going to use my quirk again."

"Of course! Right away!"

A little- read: A Lot- more light would have been preferable. Although night-time prowling in dark alleys were best for going unnoticed, it was not suited for examining material. Especially, microscopic material.

Izuku carefully autopsied one of the bullets.

But, as they say, Necessity is the mother of Innovation.

After extracting a small portion of the serum inside, he slipped a glass slide from a hard, protective case at his waist.

And Izuku was lucky enough to get the right connections for it.

Deku brought out his Microglasses. Although it was a ridiculously clunky contraption, so much so that he had to alter his utility belt on his costume to fit it, it had been extremely helpful a surprising number of times. It was a fantastic contraption made by Mei Hatsume and later modified by scientists swayed by All for One's threats and promises. That did not mean it was without it's downsides. The bulging pocket had given some of Izuku's adversaries a sneaky potshot or two.

Izuku squinted down the lenses and started mumbling out his findings.

"Looks like tons of erythrocytes. Oh, a very nice neutrophil. A group of myocytes? That's strange. Hm, a couple bacteria. Nothing incredibly harmful, although it can definitely lead to a cold. Possible cross-infection. But overall, this wasn't engineered."

"What do you mean?"

"There are human cells in here. Blood cells, mostly. The mechanism used to cancel the quirks is a quirk."

Himiko tilted her head and pointed with both hands to her face. "What does that mean for me?"

Izuku sighed. "You should be alright. Quirks like this usually don't last that long. And since the drug is comprised of human cells, they won't last long either. Unless, of course, that is part of the quirk. Or, perhaps, another quirk was used, but again emitter quirks aren't persistent if left running by themselves. You might get sick. There are a number of microbes that aren't supposed to be in your bloodstream."

Himiko frowned. "But I drink blood to transform. I don't get sick from that."

"That's true, but it goes through your stomach first. I wonder if your quirk also makes a change to the lining of your intestines. Perhaps by adding a filter or some other sort of add-on. Your quirk also changes you at the cellular level, including cells undergoing mitosis even when they are outside your body. However, this time, the blood went straight into your bloodstream and disabled your quirk."

Himiko nodded seriously. "Yeah, I don't get it."

"Well," Izuku fumbled, trying to unravel his mess of words when his phone buzzed. He fished it out.

Himiko watched as Izuku read the message. "Who is it?"

"Shigaraki."

"Oh. What does he want?"

"We're meeting with Chisaki."

"Now?" Himiko huffed. "Let me guess. I'm not invited? Tell me I am, Deku. I still want to cut him up."

"No. Just me." Izuku pocketed his phone.

"If you get in a fight, I want to be the first to know."

"Sure, Himiko. Sorry for leaving you to clean up by yourself."

"That's okay. I'll make it fun."

Izuku sped off without thinking about what that meant.

When he got to the address, he found Shigaraki waiting outside. Four members of the Yakuza stood across the street.

"What took you?" Shigaraki growled. "These brats need four of them to feel safe from two of us." He scratched his neck irritably. "Like they would have managed with a dozen more."

Izuku stayed silent but gazed over the gang members. The closest was the smallest. A squat, gnome-like being covered in black with a skull-white mask with big, round eyes. The second was the complete opposite. A hulking figure of considerable mass and muscle with a unique display of support gear on his fists. He sported a ragged, black mask. The third was a spindly creature with chains covering her body. Her face was half masked by a shawl of chains. The fourth was the only one of the group with a colour other than white or black. They wore a dull green cloak with a short, silver plague mask protruding from the raised hood. They stood at a similar height to Izuku.

"Took you long enough," the short one shrieked, giving the obligatory complaint. "Time is money, you know!"

"Be glad we're giving you a chance at all," Shigaraki retorted.

The woman scoffed.

"Let's get moving." The little one opened a door. "And keep quiet in the passageways!"

The small goblin led the way. Opening a hatch on the floor, he hopped down the stairs.

They proceeded to walk for half an hour through tunnels taking many turns and stairs. Izuku was sure they completed more than a few circles. Although he agreed with Shigaraki's displeased grumbles, he was glad the pale man decided not to throw a tantrum.

Eventually, they reached a lit room. Spartan style in decoration and size, it was a good meeting room and a bad fighting arena. Chisaki was already seated in welcome, slumped down, and supporting his head with three fingers.

"What is up with you guys?" Shigaraki's scratchy voice rasped. "The little troll led us through winding tunnels for ages. Making me feel like an ant."

"It's Mimic!" the little goon said. "And our rooms are top secret. Of course, we weren't going to show you the location." Their eyes crinkled for a hidden smile. "You'll find all your tracking tech scrambled, too."

None of that mattered as Izuku memorized each turn.

"We have numerous reception rooms which are used randomly," the woman said. "So, toss out any planned funny business."

Touché.

"Tch," Shigaraki threw himself on the couch, crossing his arms and turning his face like some petulant child. "I don't trust you either."

"You meant what you said the other day, right?" Mimic said. "You'd join us if the right conditions were met?"

"Don't start celebrating." Shigaraki scowled. He placed a foot on the cheap table. "You want the reputation our League of Villains' name brings. We want to expand our strength. Our needs coincide."

"Put your foot down," Chisaki said, cementing his first words of their meetup. "It'll get dirty."

"'Put your foot down, _please_,' is what you should have said, little yakuza boss," Shigaraki countered. "We are not putting ourselves under you in this arrangement. We move how we want; act how we see fit. A joint partnership, if you wish."

"Those are the conditions?" Chisaki drawled.

"One more thing." Shigaraki held up a finger. "Tell us your plan. I need to know if you have merit."

"I have many, I cannot afford the time to tell you the specifics," Chisaki waved a hand, "But the overall theme is to cure this 'Hero' and "Villain' disease that has been plaguing this society." Gold eyes slid to Izuku. "Is that all?"

Shigaraki tssk'd. "Don't look at him for confirmation. I don't even know why you bothered-"

"Does your plan involve the introduction of temporary quirk boosts and blockers?" Izuku said, encouraged by Shigaraki's ire. Oh, and would you believe it? He even took his foot off the table.

He continued. "They are compiled of human cells, including those found in tissue and muscle, which are compressed into vials and bullets. A quirk like yours, which can deconstruct and reconstruct all matter, leads me to conclude that one of your most trusted friends have given you their body for you time and time again." Izuku took a glance at the silent one with the green cape. Perhaps him?

Chisaki straightened up and leaned forward. "You are a bright one. Our experiments have shown great results, but we have reached a turning point. We have already found the way to annihilate a person's quirk entirely. Temporary will now be permanent."

Izuku resisted the urge to shudder.

Shigaraki growled a little at the loss of attention. "How are you doing it?"

"We have a young girl. Eri. Her quirk is the true power behind the products. Her very blood is the tool that was presented to me. Her body is a cure that reverses the body to a purer state."

Izuku's heart pounded in his ears. Chisaki Kai. His quirk, overhaul, allows him to disassemble and restore matter. He has a girl whose quirk can hinder the gene of others. Did that mean the bullet full of human cells was actually…

Izuku felt One for All course through his body

"You turn the girl into a drug to be bought!?"

Chisaki's eyes shifted to him. "Is that a problem to you?"

Is that a problem?

He takes a little girl, destroys her body only to piece it back together, just to do it all over again and again. And for what? A test? Something to be tossed as a cheap marketable ploy?

"And you ask if THAT'S A PROBLEM!?"

He blasted forward, the floor erupting beneath him.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Rappa!" Chisaki commanded.

Izuku sensed something behind him. Before he could react, he was snatched midair. Izuku forced the raw power of One For All to explode out. He was let go and flew back from the force.

He landed in a pouncing position. He felt for the spot where he was grabbed.

Tch. Stupid belt.

Muscles stood in his way to Chisaki, rubbing his wrist and preparing for a fight. Izuku snarled. A fight he would gladly give.

"Are we already engaging with you again?" Chisaki said, brushing some spittle off his mask.

Izuku huffed. He had gotten so close!

"The boy does not act for the League," Shigaraki said. "Honestly, you can do what you wish with him. I don't care."

Chisaki considered Izuku. "And I had such hopes."

"Rappa, try not to blow this place down."

The guy was a mass of bulging muscles. He was strong for sure, but how strong? The other three guards stood behind. The woman and Mimic surrounded Shigaraki. The one in green kept to his corner, observing.

The muscle man let out a booming laugh. "Yes! A worthy contestant for me! I make no promises for the safety of the arena, but I will be delighted to turn you into mincemeat." He pounded his gauntlets together. "After a perfect bout, of course."

With that, he ran forward.

Izuku prepared for the incoming attack. But when he saw Rappa's fist already breaths away from his face, all his plans went out the window.

He was instantly forced on the defensive.

It rained punches. With each swing Izuku evaded, he felt the power. And Rappa did not let up. Fist, after fist, after fist, Rappa yelled victoriously, and Izuku was forced back with each one.

Not good! If this continues, Izuku would be trapped against the wall.

An uppercut swung a bit too close to his nose for comfort.

Think, Deku. Think!

A fist blew past his cheek.

The quirk enhanced speed and power to his fists and, most probably, his arms.

Izuku hopped to the side to avoid a jab to his chest and ducked for at least three more aimed for his neck.

Rappa focused his attacks on Izuku's upper body. So, attacks that were directed to his lower body could possibly catch him off guard. But an attack that went even lower? One that wasn't even meant for him?

Jumping to dodge a few more blows, Izuku took a chance. He whipped a knife from his holster and flung it below the man's waist.

The punches faltered for not even a second. Rappa immediately directed his hits downwards.

He might have blocked it, too, but directing his hands meant that his opponent was no longer forced into dodging punches.

Full Cowling-

A kick to the face had the gang member reeling.

-Shoot Style!

The blade bounced between Rappa's legs and flew into Chisaki's face. At least, it would have. Chisaki was faster than he seemed.

Rappa screeched.

"Flinging knives around!? Real men don't use such things! That ain't a real fight. Men are meant to rip each other apart with their own power. Haaaa… AAAH!

Izuku ducked his head behind crossed arms. The fists came harder and faster than before.

A punch boxed his ear, and Izuku's senses whirled. A hit to the stomach sent him flying, and he crunched into the wall. Something tightened around him, locking his arms and legs, scrunching his body together.

He was pulled forward and fell to his knees.

His knives were quickly found and taken. Izuku bit back a grunt of pain as the chains constricted. Chisaki moaned as he wiped his face furiously with a handkerchief. It stained red.

"Tch, where's Tengai when he could have been useful?"

Chisaki huffed and carefully folded the cloth after one last swipe. He blazed in contempt.

Izuku forced himself to maintain his stare. Showing weakness wouldn't go well in front of a man like Chisaki. That's something Shigaraki would enjoy, but Izuku would never give him the pleasure. It's not like he would come to Izuku's defense, anyway.

"I'm surprised you kept this one," Chisaki said. "Especially since you threw those like the Hero Killer away."

Shigaraki scoffed. "His persistence is not one I welcomed." Izuku grit his teeth, and he knew by the way Chisaki's eyebrow raised, that the Yakuza boss would explore the reply to his bait.

"You didn't want him?" Chisaki said. "No, of course not. You wanted to kill All Might because of the victory, and the recognition, and the sense of power. You are short-minded, lacking organization, goals, and even the basis of a plan." He waved his hand towards Izuku. "This one is the complete opposite. Yes. He's even more famous than you think you are. The UA student, the alleged favorite of All Might, who killed the Symbol of Peace, not for control, but to show the world their dependency.

"I can see why he was chosen to be in your little league. While your mess of ambition is the common symptom of the disease that plagues our society, this boy is an evolution. Believing that the world needs more All Mights, he killed All Might. By dousing the biggest star in the dark, he aims to raise the light."

Chisaki lazily peered down his nose. Izuku lifted his chin a little more.

"Disgusting. Though, I can see why you gained the favour of both All Might and All for One."

Shigaraki bristled. "What are you saying?" He hissed.

Chisaki played with the hem of his gloves. "I'm saying that I won't be the one to deal with you. Take that how you will." He turned. "Ryosei!"

A green coat stepped up. Chisaki waved his hand toward Izuku. Ryosei took his place in front of Izuku. Reaching inside the pocket of his cloak, he pulled out a small object.

A ring. It was too petite for him to wear. Or any other adult. Izuku flared to his feet but faltered as his chains stiffened. Defiling the poor girl's ring to kill him made his stomach roll with nausea.

Ryosei worked quietly, clapping the ring between the palms of his hands and closing his eyes. Izuku waited with bated breath. Seconds ticked by.

"What does he do?" Shigaraki said. Impatience rattling his nerves.

Chisaki eyed him for a moment. "Nobody truly knows. Ryosei's quirk covers many areas. He calls it _Enchantment_." He hummed. "This one is a new technique. At least, I've no knowledge of what it does.

A _crack _drew everyone's attention to Ryosei. Izuku drew in a breath. The quirk was nothing like he'd ever seen. A ball of obviously unstable energy surrounded the ring. Another crack sounded off, and then another, like a series of mini lightning bolts. With each one, the ball shrunk, and the ring shone brighter.

Izuku wondered if jewelry was required for the quirk to work properly. Could he do this with anything else? Could the object be anything? Did the size and shape of the object affect the outcome or energy required? What sort of result did the use of Enchantment on someone directly have? Not the desired one. Perhaps a shock, like an electrification quirk.

"Perhaps this will be better for you," Chisaki said, breaking Izuku's train of thought. "You were dying anyway." Izuku's heart stopped. "This is the least I can do for the legacy of One for All."

The abrupt silence was deafening.

No. No. He couldn't know. Izuku didn't tell anyone! The only ones who knew were dead. He had made sure of it!

"_Entuokh!"_ Ryosei said, and the gem pulsed.

Golden eyes glowed magenta from the light. "Goodbye, Midoriya Izuku."

The purple ring hit him in the chest like a California Smash. His neck closed up, and his body contorted. Everything felt so tight as if was being forced into a hole the size of a marble. And he could. Not. Breathe!

And then, he was flying. Cold wind whipped around him. Izuku heaved, sucking in the sweet oxygen. His ears popped, and his eyes teared as the wind tore through him. His head rang from the force. He cracked his eyes open and stared at the blurry darkness looming in front of him. It got bigger. And bigger. And bigger. He started to notice fuzzy shapes protruding outwards and patterns of lights.

Izuku choked at the thin air, choking on curses. That was the ground!

Activating his quirk, Izuku cried out as pain coursed through him, needling into his head, chest, and accursed upper-back the hardest. But he couldn't stop it. If he let the power dissipate, he would die.

The ground rushed at him, and Izuku tasted iron upon impact. His joints froze. Darkness consumed him.

Izuku awoke in a smoky room. It was bare and musty. An old television stood on a small table in front of him.

"Izuku," the old box garbled. "How are your studies?"

"They are going well, Teacher," Izuku found himself saying. "I am extremely grateful to you."

"Nonsense. You are destined to succeed."

Izuku winced. "I didn't, though. I couldn't save Magne."

"Kenji was on a different path. You still triumph."

"Young Midoriya, you succeeded, didn't you?" A hand gripped his shoulder, and Izuku instinctually leaned in. For some reason, All Might stood there, brightening the world. "You survived gaining One For All. You have instilled your own part in the history of our quirk. You are a true successor!" Izuku shook at the shining smile.

All Might leaned down. "You are worthy, young Midoriya. After all, you killed me, didn't you?"

His heart went to his throat. Suddenly, it was All For One who was in front of him, taking All Might's place, shrouding the light into black.

Eight gigantic spider legs sprang out of his back and enveloped Izuku.

"You killed me, didn't you?" All For One repeated.

Izuku squirmed under All For One's grip.

A hand cupped his face. Shigaraki's crusty face swooped in.

All For One's voice came from pale crusty lips. "Let me reward you."

Five fingers made contact. And Izuku's face burned.

He spasmed, and his eyes flung open. He struggled up, hacking up dust and debris. Izuku clutched his head.

'Let me reward you.'

His heart raged, and the injury on his back flared like never before.

What happened? What was that quirk? Where was he?

_SNAP!_

Izuku recoiled and threw a wild punch. "Aargh!" His back bursted in pain, and he convulsed to the ground. He bit his hand to muffle a scream. He tasted bile.

He waited until his back receded to pulsating like a countdown to move.

His fingers slicked red. He clenched his fist.

Forget the how, Izuku. Focus on the here and now.

Wreckage encircled him. Wires snapped like firecrackers, and he tried not to flinch with each one. The remaining structures still standing buzzed in sync. An electrical substation.

Sirens wailed in the distance.

He just got to wherever this place was and already made a mess. No doubt, there was a dispatch closing in on his position. Some poor shmuck of an officer. Even worse, a hero.

No point in sticking around to find out.

Izuku stumbled off, suffering the protests of- well- _everything._

It took him a while to find his way through the partially destroyed station. He sauntered off after choosing a direction at random, trying his best not to look how he felt. Good thing no one was around. He was failing miserably.

Izuku coughed and slumped into a wall. Who was he trying to fool? It would be a while until he got his strength back up.

Izuku rounded a corner and blinked through the haze of neon from the distance. He must not have destroyed the power for this part of town. It was bright enough to be a main city. It was actually quite close. He was even able to see a large, city LED screen showing some news report.

Izuku stumped to a stop.

The broadcast…

It was a clip of an old All Might battle with some no-name villain. That was weird. News outlets have practically stopped doing memorial pieces for him. Why put him on? Why show a minor confrontation? …And why indicate that it was _live_?_"_

A shuffle from behind him took his attention. He sighed as one of the two pairs of feet tripped. Amateurs.

Not that he could say anything. He should have noticed them earlier.

A quirk crunched fast around the building, weaving its way across the streetway, effectively blocking his path across.

Absolutely fascinating! Branches interlocked and banded together, becoming stronger. It stretched quite the distance from the user, too.

The quirk was so familiar. He hadn't seen anything like this since… how long ago? Ah- it was right on the tip of his tongue!

"Freeze!"

"Don't move!"

"He's injured!"

"Don't! Careful, Kika-chan."

That voice. It was nostalgic in a strange way. It felt displaced to Izuku. Like he wasn't supposed to be hearing it again.

He rolled around to see his finders.

Ah, Kika-chan. Was she in her old sidekick outfit? She was acting so unusual. Did she realize who she was talking to? Her face, gentle and worried. Izuku had never seen it directed at him. He contrasted it to her bared teeth and ugly tears. She was prettier like this, he decided. But that didn't matter. It was unfortunate for her to be here.

And the one behind her- Izuku's chest constricted.

Impossible! This hero couldn't be standing here. There was no way. This had to be some sort of trick. A hallucination.

"What's that thing on his neck?" the wooden hero asked.

Izuku absently reached up. His neck?

He looked to see that he was still wearing his costume. His smiling mask rested on his collarbone, and his deep green suit blended into the shadows. And there, innocently resting on his chest, was a glowing ring.

Ryosei quirk had changed it. The soft gold of metal was burnt black, and the pink of the gem shined like a purple beacon. A perfect bullseye. It hung around his neck by a silver, ornate chain.

Izuku lifted a hand to touch it.

Cold as ice.

_Entuokh._

The jewel released a wave of raw energy. Izuku shivered.

"Woah," the girl said. "What did he say?"

"No idea, but that thing obviously responded."

Oh… did he say that out loud?

"Don't get to close," the hero said. "We don't know what his quirk is."

Izuku remembered him. Remembered him all too well. "Nishiya."

There was a pause.

"Kika-chan. Get away from him."

"Are you okay, buddy?"

Izuku jerked his head up. The sidekick was close. Too close.

"Kika-chan!"

The sidekick oblivious, stepped closer. "Don't be scared. We're here to help."

Izuku took a step back. "Listen to your partner."

"You're hurt. Come with us. You'll be safe."

"You should leave," Izuku whispered. "Now."

Izuku didn't want to hurt them. He really didn't. Not again. But at some point, he had to give up wasting his breath on those not willing to listen. How unfortunate.

He squinted as a light flashed on him.

The hero's adornment of roses swayed with the wind.

Kamui Woods glared. "Do I know you?"

A nervous giggle bubbled out of his mouth. How absurd! A smile spread his freckled cheeks. Unfortunate, indeed.

"Not for long."

* * *

**Thanks for reading the first chapter of Fissure: Casting Chaos; I hope you liked it.**

**Don't be afraid to drop a review of your thoughts. I take anything- obsessive praise, flames, spam, constructive criticism, etc. **

**What do you think of the "I'll kill you" part? I'm eh about it. What do you think Izuku should have said instead?**

**Beta Read by: HinataG**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Hope you are all continuing to stay safe out in the world~**

**I have for you the next chapter of Casting Chaos. There is a lot of recap in this chappie, I promise things will get more shaken as we go along the story**

**I'd like to give a great big shoutout to my beta-reader for this chapter: HinataG ! You can find her on Wattpad :)**

* * *

Commuters pushed into the train cars, jostling in already tight spaces. Conversation drifted in.

"Did you hear about the heroes? I had a coworker whose grannies…"

"…friends' computers shut down because of it, and we lost a ranked match! Honestly, the nerve…"

"I read that a sidekick was involved. How tragic!"

"Irresponsible…"

"I've never heard of them. Sucks that they were so young, too. Anyway, the boss wants a new timeline for the billing…"

"…lowering standards for heroes. All Might would've never…"

"…from U.A.? I couldn't say. I don't follow the lower ranks."

The doors slid closed.

Silence.

**2 HEROES, 3 P.O.s DEAD AT ESUHA BLACKOUT**

_Late last night, the Southwest district of the Esuha suburbs were plunged into darkness. Several locals reported an explosion and sounds of structure collapse to authorities. "It was in the dead of night," an elderly woman who lived in the area tells me. "All was calm as usual, then a huge explosion shook my house. I almost dropped my tea! Oh, Poki and Tachi [two Shiba dogs] were quite upset." The disruption came from the nearby electrical substation that provides power for this part of the district. The substation was partially destroyed by what appears to be the effect of a strength quirk, as evidenced by a lack of chemical and elemental traces found at the scene. Recently, there has been a spike in villain activity, and procedures have been revised to safely take care of suspicious events such as the blackout in Southwest Esuha. Unfortunately, for last night, it was not enough. _

_Two heroes, Kamui Woods [Left] and Kika-chan [Right], were dispatched to the scene, followed by three police officers. We regret to report that all five were found dead. "At around 23:30 hours, this department immediately cooperated with the closest Pro-Hero Agency to dispatch a squad to the Genkan area outside of Esuha City," Police Commander Keisatsu Kinki said in a press conference early this morning. "Due to the sudden and unfortunate loss of three of our police force and two young, promising heroes, we are working closely with the Commissioner General, the Hero Public Safety Commission, and the Pro-Hero Agencies in the area to ensure a swift conclusion. Currently, what we can make public is that both the heroes and officers called about intersecting an individual before going radio silent. It is unknown if they were acting alone or not. We are taking this case as our top priority."_

_We will continue to update this story as talks with police and hero agencies resume._

_Tamachi Chiyo is a seasoned journalist and situation analyst, contributing to the Inaka Journal for over 7 years. _

Izuku clicked out of the article. More hero victims. Was villain activity truly getting worse, or was it because he was officially on the path to becoming a hero that Izuku was beginning to notice? In history, there had always been super villains and villain groups. Was there a group as large and bold as the League of Villains or as murderous and efficient as Stain, the Hero Killer? Were one of them responsible for the death of Kamui Woods, Kika-chan, and the police officers? The Hero Killer didn't kill anyone other than heroes, did he? And the League of Villains seemed like the flashy and audience type. Really, Izuku didn't know enough about them to make a good guess. There was nothing online about them either, nor did the teachers at U.A. know anything.

Was this what All Might always dealt with? It seemed as though all of these villains came to a prominent position once Izuku started at U.A. High School, or even after he received One For All. With All Might having less time for hero work, these villains were able to crop up. It would rest on Izuku's shoulders. He felt a shiver crawl down his spine. Was it possible to match All Might's glory and-er- might? Izuku sighed and managed to make his way out of the train when his station was called. He sturdied his legs and straightened his back. That was why he was interning with All Might's teacher, Gran Torino.

'_H-h-here. T-ta-take his ca-ca-card. Y-y-y-you shoul-should a-ac-a-accep-t-t-t the-the of-f-ffer.'_

Izuku almost fell down the stairs.

Scary!

After surviving the trek to the taxi pickup, Izuku was left in an almost abandoned-looking area.

"Hm." Izuku stared at the information on his phone. "This is the address. I guess I shouldn't judge a book by its cover."

Izuku drew his bags up. "All right! Let's go on in!" He pushed the door open. "Excuse me for entering! I'm from U.A. High, Midoriya Izuku. It's nice to…"

Things seemed to slow down and happen too fast all at once. Every follicle of hair on his body stood up. His limbs turned to lead and his bones to ash. His mouth filled with dry dust. Izuku felt as cold as the corpse that lay at his feet. An old body stained red with ropes of intestine spewing out. One thing crossed his mind and fell from his mouth. "He's dead."

The old man looked up. "Actually, I'm alive."

Izuku screamed. "He's alive!"

"Oof." The old man clambered to his feet, dusting his yellow costume off. "I was carrying a plate with sausages and ketchup when I fell."

Izuku's head buzzed. Sausages and ketchup… Was his head always this light?

"Who are you?"

"I'm Midoriya Izuku from U.A."

The old man frowned and brought a hand to his ear. "What?"

"I'm Midoriya Izuku!"

"Oh…" Was it him, or did the old man's mask just blink at him? "Who are you?"

Izuku's shoulders tensed at the repeated question. Crud. He knew this was All Might's teacher, therefore someone out there in years, but he didn't think it would be this bad. This was…

The old man gave a tremble and fell down.

This was not what he was led to believe.

"I want to eat something."

Izuku didn't know what to do. "Eat?" What was there to give him? Was there no one to take care of him?

"Huh? Toshinori?"

"Um, no," Izuku waved his hands, "That's not me."

The old man gave a blank smile.

That's it. He should really tell All Might about his teacher's condition!

"Excuse me. I'm going to make a phone call."

There was no way All Might could have known about this. He couldn't waste time here, but was there anything else he could do? Come on, All Might, pick up!

Shuffling in the back gained his attention.

"Ah! What are you doing!? That's my hero costume! Please, don't-"

"Fire One For All at me."

Izuku stopped.

"I want to know how well you handle it."

What is up with this guy? He just suddenly…

"This is a good costume! Wear it and use One For All."

"Um…" Was this guy just testing him before?

The old man looked at him. "Who are you?"

Maybe not! Or perhaps… "I need to hurry and quickly get a handle on my quirk. All Might doesn't have any time left. So, it's up to me. I don't know what you're doing, but I can't waste time messing around with you, sir." He needed to contact All Might. Now! "If you'll please excuse me."

"In that case." The old man's tone made Izuku pause. The old man took a breath and disappeared.

Izuku gasped. He reappeared on the opposite side of the room. And then again to the other side. A teleportation quirk? A gust of wind flew past him. No. Not teleportation. The wall above the door cracked. A speed quirk.

"In that case," Gran Torino said, smiling down at the student, "There's even more reason to fire off that quirk now, you zygote!"

"'Zygote?'"

"I watched the Sports Festival on T.V. The way you used that power was unthinkable. He's called the number one hero and the Symbol of Peace, but that justice-obsessed dunce is worse than a novice when it comes to teaching."

This old hero was using the same phrase as All Might did, and the way they act dumb is the same. Except, the one in front of Izuku was the real deal. He was All Might's teacher, after all!

"I can't stand the way you use your power, so I'll teach you. Now, put on your costume."

Izuku smiled. "I look forward to working with you!"

After that, Izuku realized two things.

One: It turned out that Hatsume Mei was not the only one to take substantial design liberties.

Two: Ruses were quite the popular teacher ploy. Gran Torino was certainly not the fragile, weak old man he appeared to be. No, he was nobody's little Grandpa. In fact, he was brutal and unforgiving. Izuku didn't land a hit on him. He would end the day aching and sore with an increased risk of future spine problems.

Two days later and Izuku found himself being slammed onto his back for the millionth time.

"Alright, I think that's enough for now." Gran Torino dusted himself off. It was interesting to witness as he did so upside down. Except Gran Torino wasn't; Izuku was. He was stuck in an Izuku shaped crater in the wall. The numb feeling of saliva, sweat, and possibly blood going up his nose was, unfortunately, all too familiar already.

"No," Izuku groaned, "I can keep fighting."

He ignored the suffering pleas of his muscles.

"No way. I don't want you to get used to only fighting me. It will only lead to bad habits."

As he began to peel off the wall, Izuku felt something crumble. He couldn't tell if it was the house or internal hemorrhaging. "Trust me, I am not used to this."

"It's time we enter Phase 2. Clean up, kid, and suit up. We are going out."

Izuku's body creaked as he scrambled upright. He had a lot to learn. If Gran Torino thought going out would be best for him, of course he would go along.

Gran Torino hailed a taxi and told it to head to the station.

"Where are we going?"

"Shibuya."

Phase 2, his mentor had called it. Searching for villains to become exposed to a variety of fighting situations and styles.

"Um," Izuku started, "We won't arrive until night. Is that okay?"

"Of course! They'll be more skirmishes, then, especially the more dangerous ones. That's what makes it fun!"

'Fun,' he says. Of course, he would think it's fun.

The train was nearing Hosu station when Izuku remembered about Iida. He brought out his phone.

"Using a phone when your sensei is right next to you? Kids these days!"

Used to Gran Torino's teasing, Izuku opened his messages with Iida. He had told Iida that he was heading to Hosu and offered to meet up with him if he could, but Iida had left him on read. Izuku felt his worry grow. Iida was always punctual in responding within minutes of reading texts. Was Iida not any better? He would have to ask Uraraka if she has had any luck.

"Hey! Look at that! That building just exploded!"

Izuku rose to his feet, a bad feeling tingling in his gut.

People started to gather near the man.

"Where?"

"I see it! There's smoke!"

"Could it just be a fire?" Izuku asked.

The train's overhead speakers clicked on. "Passengers, please hold on to your seats."

Not a second later, the train screamed, and Izuku's face was smashed into the seat in front of him.

The side of the train cabin tore open as something burst through. It was Rising Moon, a Pro-Hero! A large, blue hand reached through the tear and gripped Rising Moon's bleeding head. Izuku recognized the bubbling fear as the villain peaked its head in. It's four bulging eyes and raw brain were exposed for all to see.

"A nomu!"

Gran Torino heaved in a breath. "Stay down, kid!" He blasted off, bouncing around the train, gaining momentum, and kicked the nomu off the injured hero and out of the train.

"Gran Torino!"

A train worker rushed in and immediately went to Rising Moon's unconscious side. "Everyone, please stay calm and remain in your seats! The Pro-Heroes are handling the situation!"

"I'm sorry," Izuku called out, "But I'm getting out!"

"Wait!" Izuku heard behind him, "It's too dangerous!"

But Izuku was already off the train and running in the direction he saw Gran Torino blast off to. Whether or not the League of Villains were involved, if this nomu was as strong as the one that went toe-to-toe with All Might at USJ, Gran Torino and this city were in big trouble. Iida was interning in this city, too! Izuku had to get to him.

"Tenya! Tenya, where are you?"

Izuku turned as he heard the voice call for his classmate. He rushed down the alley for the source and was met with a truck falling from the air onto another car. Izuku skidded to a halt and shielded his face as the vehicles exploded. He hissed as he felt the heat through his costume.

What the hell was that? Forcing his eyes open through the sting of ash and hot air, Izuku's breath left his lungs as he saw a group of heroes being battered by _two_ other nomus. One was flying around with wings. Why were there so many of them?

"Tenya!"

"Manual! Over here!"

"Shoot! I'm coming! Tenya! Where are you?!"

Izuku watched as Manual, the Normal Hero, controlled water from a fire hydrant to douse the flames, letting his partners and sidekicks focus on the nomus.

Manual was Iida's mentor. For Iida to leave his side in an event like this was so unlike his character- Izuku stopped. Iida. Ingenium. Hosu City. Nomu. The League of Villains. The Hero Killer. There was a click as Izuku mapped the connections.

Iida! He was going to get himself killed!

Activating One For All, Izuku flashed away. Where could he be? Think! The only reason Iida would leave Manual's side in a fight would be because he found the Hero Killer! All of Stain's victims were found in narrow, obscure alleys. Izuku bounced between buildings. If he could only find him-

Izuku's eyes widened, and his feet moved on their own accord. Before even realizing what he was doing, Izuku punched the Hero Killer's face, pushing him away from Iida's crumpled form.

"Bingo!" Izuku yelled, coming to his senses.

Stain growled at him.

Izuku clenched his fists. With his senses came his fear, but he was a hero and Iida- and Native!- were in trouble.

"Midoriya? Why?"

"Sixty percent of the Hero Killer's victims were found in places without many people. The rest were places with absolutely none. I knew I had to search for you away from all the fighting, but still in the area of Normal Hero's district. Stain is a villain who likes to send a message after all."

A message. Izuku needed to send a message for help!

"Iida, we need to move, get to the bigger streets, and get help from the pros."

"I can't move my body. Ever since he cut me… it has to be his quirk."

The media reports guessed the same. Shoot. If it had been just Iida, then Izuku could have carried him away, but with Native as well… he would have to find a way to fight off Stain until help arrived.

"Don't get involved, Midoriya. This is my fight, not yours."

"…what did you just say to me?"

"Your friend came to save you, and this is how you respond." Stain sneered and turned his bloody eyes to Izuku. "I have a duty to kill him. If you decide to fight me, the weaker one of us will be culled off this world."

A shiver ran down Izuku's spine. He really needed help right now! He sent a message from his phone for help behind his back. Izuku didn't know how long he could keep Stain occupied, but he would go Plus Ultra. Izuku felt All For One thrum through his veins. As All Might would do, Izuku would strive for!

"Stop! You can't do this! Run away! I told you this wasn't your fight! This has nothing to do with you! Just leave!"

"If I did that, what would be the purpose of heroes? If heroes did that, then there wouldn't be heroes in the first place! I want to say a lot of things to you, but I can wait till later. Like All Might said: Meddling where you don't need to is the essence of being a hero!"

Izuku put on a smile, trying to stop the wobbling of his legs. He would try and show how to be a hero. Stain's large teeth were white as bone, and the laugh he gave chilled Izuku to his core.

Before he gave Stain the advantage, Izuku attacked first. Get close to your opponent in one quick movement, then go where he would least expect and create an opening!

He dodged the knife, sliding between Stain's legs. He jumped in the air, the katana hitting only empty space.

"Five percent Detroit _SMASH!_"

It connected! The hit connected! Did it work? Was it effective?

Izuku seized and slumped to the ground.

What? What happened? Stain grazed him? Izuku didn't even feel it!

Stain calmly walked past him. Izuku saw the blood on his sword. It had to be the blood. That's how his quirk worked.

"It was a good try, kid. You didn't just attack me; you made the decision and actually executed the act of leaving my field of vision. Many heroes are all talk but don't have the skill. Maybe you are a worthy hero. You are different from these two."

Stain put his sword by Iida's neck.

"No! Stop it!"

"I will purge this world of fake heroes."

"Get away from him! Don't do it!"

The sword moved up to strike. Izuku felt tears welling up. Iida was going to die, and there was nothing he could do! How could he show himself to All Might, to Iida's brother, to Gran Torino? How could he call himself a hero if he couldn't save his friend?

The katana flashed in the moonlight.

If he could only move!

The Hero Killer paused and shifted his stance. Izuku's blood pounded in his ears. He wasn't going in for the kill? Stain tilted his head as if trying to listen to something. Was it another hero? Izuku looked at Iida and Native, who were still incapacitated.

"You are a good hider," Stain growled, looking to the sky, "But I can hear you thinking from all the way down here."

Izuku looked up into the darkness. He couldn't see anything.

"Come out! Are you another fake hero, witnessing your failure? Show yourself! Before I go up there."

Izuku strained against the invisible bonds. Hearing things that don't exist is not a good sign. They really were dealing with a crazy, murderous villain!

"Ah, I've been caught! My bad."

Izuku froze. There was someone? He turned his eyes up again.

Above him, something green glimmered in the shadows and took form. A pair of emerald eyes appeared first.

"I just couldn't stay away. Oh, and now I've changed things!"

Then, a toothy smile, with large, sharp teeth.

"That's probably not good. But to see this fight was so tempting! I had to see for myself! Mind you, I should be resting, but this was so nostalgic! The mastery over multiple blades in such creative, and of course, highly experienced, fashion is really amazing to see up close- obviously from an audience standpoint and not as the target in a physical, aggressive encounter. Well, even then, I suppose. Speaking of aggressive, he really goes for the hit, wasting no time, which leads to time efficiency and a lower chance of alerting nearby opponents. I mean, that is to be expected for such a famed killer with 23 known Pro-Hero kills. I should really be taking notes. Where is my notebook when I need it?"

The man, who Izuku swore was certainly not there before, sat hunched over on the building's ledge, a hand raised to his chin. His shark-toothed mask covered half of his face in a style, not unlike Izuku's own, and, although his hood was up, obscuring his face, his green eyes were practically glowing. And his voice…

"He's muttering," Izuku realized. Was this what he sounded like? What his friends, teachers, mom, and even strangers always pointed out?

"I mean, how would Himiko react? _Ahem._ 'Oh my God! Did you see the way he used every inch of his sword? All to get such a nice slice for blood. Not too deep, but just enough. And the way his tongue- oh, his _tongue!_ Sliding across polished steel. Jeez! I can feel the heat in my body already! I practically made a puddle in my-' KYAA! I can't do it! How does she say the things she does!?"

Izuku squirmed, itching with heat. Oh, please, please, please, don't let him sound like that!

"I don't know you or any Himiko," Stain hissed, "Answer me! Are you a pathetic hero or a measly villain?"

"You don't know Himiko? That's right! I almost forgot about how she joins the league!"

"You're a member of the League of Villains?"

"Uh, sort of kind of not really. I'm like an honorary member without the honors and at least thrice removed without them even realizing I exist. Well, that my version of myself exists. There's a lot of things happening, and honestly, I haven't sat down to think of what I am to them. Think of it like I'm a long-lost member of theirs who they never met, but their leaders hate me without even meeting me yet. Does that make me a part of them?"

"Whatever your allegiance is, leave or come down and perish."

"Nah. You just continue to do your thing. I don't like the idea of changing things too much, but at the same time…"

"Forcing my hand. I don't allow just anyone to be witness to my work. I'll come up and fight you there."

The man tilted his head. "You don't have the time. You'll be too busy fighting someone else. He should be arriving right now."

"Oh? And who may that be?"

A flash of orange lit up from the entrance of the alley.

The man laughed. "Him."

Stain jumped away as a plume of fire rocketed forward.

"Midoriya, you need to give more details when in a situation like this. I could have been here sooner with pros."

"Todoroki!"

He was using his fire! Did interning with his father really help?

The unnamed villain continued to laugh. "Fire instead of ice. I really need to write this down!"

Their shared sentiments made Izuku extremely self-conscious and uncomfortable.

Todoroki's eyes narrowed at the second villain. "Who is he?"

"He's part of the League of Villains, sort of, kind of, possibly… Gah! I'm talking like him! He's a villain!"

The green villain waved Izuku's warning away, his purple necklace swaying lightly. "Don't worry about me, Shouto. I'm not going to get involved. Just be careful and look out for Stain's tongue."

Stain huffed. "Not going to get involved, you say, but then you give away such information. Once I'm through with these pretenders, I will know who you are."

The villain gave him a double thumbs up. "Yes. Yes. Of course, you will. Now, for the main event! U.A. Students Versus The Hero Killer! Match: Begin!"

A blast of fire had Stain rolling away.

Stain snarled. "Taking point from a villain?"

Todoroki shrugged. "Seemed as good a start as any."

"Then you are no true hero. Just as bad as your father. Yes, I recognize the name. Number Two Hero, he is called. An injustice to the world."

Todoroki didn't react to the jibe and shifted his right foot.

Stain jumped in the air as ice covered the floor. Izuku's, Native's, and Iida's immobile bodies were caught in an ice ramp. With a left-handed punch, Todoroki blasted fire, forcing Stain to move farther away again. At the same time, the fire melted the top part of the ice ramp, sliding Native and Todoroki's classmates closer to him and farther from Stain.

Nice! As expected from Todoroki! Dealing with the villain while simultaneously rescuing the victims. It hurt to be part of the victim group, but Izuku had to be truthful. And the truth was that Todoroki's technique- "is actually beautiful for a first-year student, even if that student is the Number Two hero's son and a top U.A. student. Combining his two quirks in an effective advanced maneuver when he previously wasn't able to do so at all in such a small time is fascinating."

"Wow," Todoroki muttered, "There are two of you, now."

Izuku choked. "Please, don't compare me with a villain, Todoroki."

"Whoops, was I being loud again? Sorry, I've been trying to reel that habit in."

Todoroki flexed his arm, his gaze locked on Stain. "I won't let you kill these guys, Hero Killer."

"You can't let him see your blood," Izuku warned, "I think he immobilizes us by ingesting the blood orally. That's how he got us! It's why he uses blades."

"Yeah, I thought the same thing from the other villain's hint about his tongue. It could just be taste instead of complete ingestion, though. I'll be fine; I'll just keep my distance and-"

"Todoroki!" Izuku screamed when a throwing knife whizzed by Todoroki's face.

Stain was suddenly in front of Todoroki. He's too fast!

"You have good friends, Ingenium!" His knife was blocked with a pillar of ice, and then his sword was unexpectedly falling from the sky! Todoroki was distracted. Stain took the chance and zoomed in, his tongue going to Todoroki's bleeding cheek. Todoroki lit up his left side, engulfing himself in fire. Stain jumped back and continued to retreat from Todoroki's barrage of attacks.

"I just don't understand," Iida ground out between his teeth and his tears. "Why are you two here? Why? Just why? Stop fighting my battles for me! It's my brother's name! I have to be the one to stop the villain who left him broken. It has to be me!"

"That's strange," Todoroki droned, "The Ingenium I knew would have never had that look on his face. Nor would he be riskily throwing himself at villains for revenge."

"Ooh. A passive-aggressive attack against his own teammate. You do it so well, Shouto."

"I didn't realize you became a commentator instead of simply a viewer."

"I'm currently weighing the pros and cons of referee, too."

"I'm curious as to why you are not joining the fight."

"It's tempting," the villain admitted. "Although Stain is right in his ideals, his plan is too villainous and, in the end, he isn't even attacking the problem. He's just attacking the product. No, the true way to end fake heroes is to kill the source." The villain inspected his hands in a strange way. "End the two most powerful, the one causing all the vicious crime and the one that takes away normal people's responsibility, and then the clean-up will be effective. By the way, pay attention."

Todoroki barely dodged a knife and kept his elemental attacks flowing. Stain easily slunk away. Todoroki was beginning to visibly tire. Now, the Hero Killer was biding his time.

"So, why don't you help us?"

"Todoroki!" Iida and Izuku both looked at their classmate in shock. Asking for help from a villain? That is- that is… Izuku had to get out of this state and help Todoroki, now! If the villain decided to get involved, who knows what he would do? He felt his fingers twitch. Yes! Now, for the rest of his body. Was Stain's quirk finally wearing off? If it was, why was he regaining control sooner than Iida and Native?

"Hm, I suppose it's because of what I know. And what I know is that, although unfortunate," the villain pointed a gloved finger at Iida, "his death leads to an okay result. Do you realize you just blocked your view of a highly agile opponent with that ice placement?"

The wall of ice Todoroki created abruptly crumbled.

"To block your own view against an opponent faster than you-"

"Is rather sloppy of you, Shouto," the villain finished for Stain. "I'm disappointed in you."

Izuku felt his body come back alive.

"You can join the club if my father lets you." Todoroki lit his arm ablaze and then howled as multiple knives impaled his arms.

"You talk as if I'm not here! Having a conversation while dealing with an enemy will get you killed!" Stain flung himself in the air, his katana heading for the kill.

"Wow, deja-vu," the green villain muttered.

Izuku pushed himself off the ground with a burst of Full Cowling. He slammed into Stain, dragging the villain into the wall of the adjacent building. He held the struggling villain for as long as he could until a sharp pain at his ribs made him release him with a gasp. He landed on his face, the pain making him see double.

"Get back, Midoriya!"

He barely rolled out of the way as spikes of ice flew down at him. Again, Stain was on the defensive. Izuku crawled back to Todoroki.

"I have three theories on how his quirk works. One: It is less effective when used on more people. Two: The amount he ingests could affect the time limit. Three: Different blood types are affected differently."

"My blood type is B." Midoriya blinked in shock as Native spoke. When did he regain consciousness?

"Mine is A," Iida said.

Todoroki was about to respond when Stain answered first. "That is correct. My quirk is based on blood type."

"The information on his quirk doesn't really help, though," Izuku said.

"I was thinking we take those two and get out of here," Todoroki said, studiously ignoring the "tssk" that came from the rooftop.

"He's too fast," Izuku said. "We fight. I'll go in close; you support me from behind."

"That's risky."

Izuku charged his quirk up again. "But it's all we've got. And we'll give it all we've got."

Izuku saw Stain bare his teeth in a wide smile, and he swept towards the villain. The Hero Killer laughed and smiled while they traded blows. With each swipe of his blades, the Hero Killer seemed to put more power into each strike. He became faster, stronger, and more vicious. Izuku began to rely more and more heavily on Todoroki's support.

It was only when Izuku was almost decapitated that he realized. Stain had totally changed his fighting style to adapt to this situation! A single slice across on his leg, and Izuku was down. Stain creeped out of Izuku's line of sight. Shoot! Where did he go? What would be Stain's best line of action after failing to get through to the front fighter because of the long-range attacks?

"Todoroki! In front of you!"

A blaze of fire immediately shot in the direction.

"To your right! On your left! Above you! In fron…" Oh no! He couldn't tell where he was going! Stain adapted again!

"You rely too much on your quirk!" Stain yelled. He appeared in front of Todoroki; his sword poised to slash right through him.

"TODOROKI!"

A flash of blue and silver exploded from behind Todoroki, and Stain's sword shattered.

"Iida!" Izuku cried.

"You got free," Todoroki said. "That quirk isn't as great as I thought."

Izuku ignored that comment as he rode the biggest wave of relief he had ever felt.

"Todoroki, Midoriya, I offer my most sincere apologies. This is not your fight, but you have gotten yourself hurt because of me. But I cannot let you get more injured because of this. I will take over from here."

Izuku's jaw dropped. How can he say that?

"Don't try to appear reformed," Stain said, "People do not change so easily. You will never be more than a fake acting on pure selfish desires. You are a cancer that society has warped as a hero. Someone must set you straight."

"You're an anachronistic fundamentalist," Todoroki shot back. "Iida, don't listen to the logic of a murderer."

"But he's right," Iida said, "I acted selfishly and have no right to call myself a hero. Even our audience said my death is tolerable."

Izuku watched as blood dripped from Iida's injuries.

"But you still came to Shouto's aid when it was most dire."

The five fighters looked upwards, where a pair of green eyes peered at them with shining curiosity.

"Did you save him because of your pride or because he was someone who needed help?"

Iida looked at the villain in shock. "How could I let someone who was fighting for me- fighting because of me- die? How could I let someone who is destined to become something greater than I, become hurt?"

"Iida," Izuku said, "Even with selfish desires, you can still be a hero who helps people for the simple reason that they are someone who needs help."

"You don't have to be perfect, kid," Native said. "That is not a requirement for being a hero."

"Although you are right, Native. Please, shut up. You're part of the problem."

Native glared upwards. "I don't know what you're playing at, villain."

The villain looked away. "Neither do I, yet..."

"No matter, you are all right. I cannot give in." Iida looked at Stain with determination and not hatred. "I will not give in! If I do, Ingenium will die."

Stain's aura became murderous. "I will ensure that!"

Todoroki blasted a wave of fire as Stain tried to strike.

"Idiots! It's me he wants!" Native yelled. "Just run away!"

"We literally just had this conversation!" Todoroki yelled back.

"Todoroki, freeze my legs!"

Izuku and Todoroki shot him confused looks. Iida leapt in front of Todoroki, taking a knife in the arm.

"Just do it!"

He took another knife to the arm.

"Iida!" Izuku felt his body tremble. He was getting his body back! Propping himself up, Izuku brought his quirk's power back up. He could do this. He had to do this!

One For All-

Green lightning and blue fire lit up the night.

-Full Cowling!

As one team, Iida and Izuku scaled the building and dealt a solid blow against the Hero Killer.

"Ack!" Too much power! Izuku's senses blurred. Did he break another bone? Hopefully not… He felt the heat as Todoki's quirk roasted Stain. Hopefully, not too much, though. Stain coughed blood. They didn't kill him, did they?!

Izuku felt panic when he realized he wasn't stopping, and the ground was rushing to meet them!

With a relieving cool touch, Todoroki's ice rose to soften their landing.

"Get up," Todoroki said, "He's still-"

There was a cold moment as they took in Stain's limp body.

He couldn't be…

"He's still alive," the green villain said. His eyes and voice glowed with excitement. "That was amazing! Knowing to cool his engines and get such a speed burst! He really did get stronger! That was so cool! Using Shouto and then timing it so that the two attacks landed in sync- was that planned? No, no, I don't think so- well, maybe I would have thought of it? Yes, that could be it! Iida's Recipro Burst was displayed in the festival so I would have known the logistics, timing, and acceleration. Hm, yes, yes…

"If only I could have been stronger…" The villain shook his head and stretched his arms. "I still have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'm sure this will help a ton! I'll have to think about this. Take care of yourselves. Try not to break too many bones, Izuku? We'll meet again, possibly. I haven't decided yet. "

"Wait!" Izuku called, "What's your name?"

"I'm De- uh. Wait, that's no good. Hm... All the rest of my names are too embarrassing." The villain chuckled nervously. "I guess that should be something I need to figure out soon, too."

"Anyway, I'll be going now. Have a nice night, and make sure to follow the doctors' instructions!"

The villain disappeared from view.

Izuku clenched his fists. He would have demanded for the villain to stay, but there was no way any of them had the strength to deal with another villain.

"We should restrain Stain," Todoroki said.

"Good idea."

In the end, Izuku ended up riding on Native's back when he regained control. Iida and Todoroki restrained the Hero Killer with rope that Native kept on him.

Gran Torino and other heroes and sidekicks met them on a bigger street.

While a hero checked them for injuries, Iida apologized for being the cause of their injuries and his revenge-driven actions.

"Iida-"

"Get down!"

"Villain!"

And then, Izuku was flying in the air. The heroes and his friends calling for him became small, incredibly quick. For a moment, Izuku saw the green and purple glowing orbs of the villain observing from a distant rooftop. His kidnapper spasmed and fell from the sky. It wasn't until the Nomu's blood was splattering everywhere that he realized that it was Stain who had saved him. And it was only when he landed that he realized how close Stain was and how far away the rest of the heroes were.

"This is all to create a more just society!"

A hand put its full weight on Izuku's back.

"No! Let me go!"

The asphalt bit into Izuku's skin. He squirmed in Stain's iron hold as warm droplets of sticky saliva from the Hero Killer's breaths dribbled on his face.

"Endeavor," Stain heaved, and then the weight was off of Izuku's back.

Stain's mask slipped away. His bloodshot eyes glowered like waning blood moons.

"Endeavor, you fake!"

This was impossible! How was he so strong? He killed the nomu even after being battered to unconsciousness. The pros couldn't handle them, yet he single-handedly…

And the heroes were so far away...

"I will right all the wrongs. Someone must be dyed in blood! Society must take back- I must take back what it means to be a hero!"

Stain stood his ground, his spiked boots bathed in blood.

"Come and get me! You fakes!"

Izuku couldn't breathe! This bloodlust. This murderous aura!

He couldn't move!

"The only one who I'll let kill me is the one true hero, ALL MIGHT!"

And as quickly as it came, it left. Stain's knife clattered to the floor.

"He's- he's unconscious," Endeavor whispered.

Nobody spoke. Nobody moved.

Later, they were told that a broken rib had pierced his lungs.

He had not ingested anyone's blood. The heroes and students were simply frozen in shock and fear.

Only Stain had the resolve to move to action and face his enemies.

They were also told that the other villain they had met matched the description of the one who caused the blackout in the Esuha District, the scene that Kamui Woods and Kika-chan had been sent to. Where the two Pro-Heroes and three police officers died last night.

The Hero Killer was captured, but another had already risen to take his place.

* * *

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**Beta Read by: HinataG**


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